Covid-19 update: Chennai Corporation steps up vigil as cases see a rise, contact tracing numbers to increase

Chennai: The Greater Chennai Corporation would make more efforts to get contact tracing of the immediate and extended family members of patients who test positive for Covid.

IANS was informed by sources inside the Corporation that over 6,000 samples are currently being tracked, with samples being obtained right in Chennai. In an interview with IANS, a senior representative of the Greater Chennai Corporation remarked, "The rise in Covid cases is mostly due to the travel to other states and countries. Attending public gatherings in weddings, meetings, workplaces, and fish and vegetable markets are one of the reasons for getting affected."

As 12 lakh persons in the corporation have not yet received their second dose of vaccination, the Greater Chennai Corporation has also instructed the health officials to carry out a door-to-door vaccination drive.

The corporation has also started a campaign to encourage more than 60 different groups of patients to take the third dosage of the vaccine.

Ma Subramanian, the Tamil Nadu Health Minister, stated to IANS, "The presence of Omicron subvariant BA4 and BA5 are spreading faster and if a person in a family gets infected then immediately the others also get affected."

He encouraged the crowd to follow Covid policy, wear masks, maintain a safe distance, and regularly sanitise their hands.

Ma Subramanian said, "Most of the Covid cases are in home isolation and are getting cured fast and those admitted to the hospitals are having a cold, fever, cough, and mild infection. There are no ICU cases even though the hospitals of the state are equipped with Oxygen beds and other emergency facilities are available."